Spring-wheel.



G. GRAWFORDQQ G. H. sAUBR. SPRING WHEEL. APPLICATION FILED JUNII Q9, 1910. 986,549. Patented Mar. 14, 1911.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

G. H. CRAWFORD & G. H; SAUER.

SPRING WHEEL. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 29, 1910.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

awuawlio'os G.HCra/wf0rJ anH mi/bneooeo Patented Mar. 14, 1911.

I UNITED STATES PATENT omen GUY H. onAwronnANn (motion in. satin. or nn'nvnn, ooLonAno; assmnons 'ro THE CRAWFORD-sausasrmne rma CPMPANY, A oonro'namonor COLORADO.

' To .all wlzbm it may concern."-

Be it known that we,-GUY H. CRAWFORD andGEonon H. SAUnn, citizens of the United States, residing at .Denver, -in the county of Denverand State of Colorado, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Spring-Wheels, of which the. following -1s.a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings. 4 g

This invention relates to'improyements in e I I X spring or resilient wheels and more part cu- .larly to'a spring tire adapted to be usedinplace ofthe ordinary pneumatic tire.

The object of'the invention is to provide a spring wheel of'this chara'cter'havmg an im-' proved spring supported rim or tire and 1m-- proved'means foria'rranging and securing the'springs between the inner and the outer sections of the rim or tire.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists of the novel features. of construction'and the combination and ar rangement of arts hereinafter fullyv described and cla1med,' and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a detail side view-o'f'a portion of a spring wheel constructed imaccordance with the invention, parts being broken away; Figs. 2 and 3 are detail sectional views, taken respectively on the planes indicated by the lines 2-2 and 33 in Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a portion of one of the rim sections; Fig. 5 is a detail view of one of the springs; and Fig. 6 is a detail view of'one of the spring spacing blocks. iReferring more particularly to the drawings 1 denotes'a' portion of a wheel having a hub 2, radiating spokes 3 and an annular rim 4. The-improved spring tire is adapted tween which are arranged at suitable inter- Kills transversely extending series of coil outer section Ghaspreferably formed in its outer face an annular groove or seat 9 to re- Specification at Letter: ratent. Patented Mar. 14," 191 1. A Ii anqntied June 29, 1910. Serial no. 568,602.

leather, rubber or other materiaL which will .tend to prevent noise.

rows at'suita'ble intervals, three'springs be.- .ing preferably arranged in each row and at the endsof sa d springs'are formed circular loops 11 disposed in "transverse parallel gfi-ooves' 13 for the reception of the loops aped ends ll of the springs. The grooves 13 extend, of course, transversely of the'tire and their walls are undercut, as shown at 14,

' ;so that the springs will be prevented from being pulled or pushed out .o f them in a radial direction. For the purpose of maintaining the three springs of each transverse row or series in spaced relation and reventing the springs from slipping onto the endsof the grooves 13, spacing and retaining blocks15 are provided. -Four of these blocks are provided in each of the grooves 13, the two intermediate ones being arranged between the springs to maintain them in spaced relation while the two outer ones are retainedin position by suitable clamping devices which may be in the form of set screws ltififdesired. The end portions of of the grooves 13 and their side edges may The springs 7 are arranged in transverse be beveled, as shown in Fig. 2, to cause them to mpreeifectively engage and retain the end loops 11 of the springs. If desired, the inner ends of the set screws-16 may be tapered so that when said screws are tightened they will tend to securely clamp all of the parts in the grooves.

The inner and outer tire sections 5, 6 are preferably constructed of resilient metal and springs 7 in making the wheel an efiective substitute -for a pneumatic tired wheel.

From the foregoing it will be seen that a t isprin'gs 7. The inner section 5 is here shown by making it with the enlargements 12 which as'gsecured by bolts or similar fastenings 8 are of less thickness, the 'resiliency'of the to the rim 4 and it is of considerably greater outer tire section 6. will tend to prevent width thansaid rim, as shown in Figs. 2 shocks and jars'incident to travel over rough and 3. The oilter section 6 is likewise of roads, from being imparted to the vehicle,

50 considerable width 'to give a broad tread said tire section 6 thus'co-acting with the '55 ceive a fiat tread or tire member 10-of wheel constructed in accordance with the invention may be produced at a comparav vention.

placed when otherwise damaged.

tively small cost and will be strong and durable. The construction is such thatthe tire may be applied to various kinds of wheels and will provide a broad substantial tread surfaceand have sufiicient resiliency the occupants of tl i e to insure comfort to vehicle. By employing transverse rows of springs the strain is distributed and the wheel balanced, and by i'elnovably mounting said springsas above set forth, they may be quickly and easily removed and re-- weakened or when broken or arious changes in the form, proportion and arrangement of parts .-may-beresorted to within We claim:

-1. In a spring wheel, inner and outer annular'sections provided in their opposing' faces with transversely arranged undercut grooves, coil springs having ends ranged in said n said removablyargrooves, and blocks arranged rooves to space the springs apart.

and retain them in position.

2. In a spring wheel, the combination of oseatinnits outer thespiritand scope of the in transversely arranged series of "a wheel rim, inner and outer annular tire sections formed in their opposing faces with transversely extending undercut grooves, the inner tire section being secured to saidrim and the outer tire face, a flat tread .band of cushioning material arranged in said seat in .the outer tire section, transversely .ar, ranged series of coil springs provided at their ends with loops to slide into the transverse grooves in the two tire sections, spac ing blocks arranged in the grooves between the loop-shaped ends of 'said, springs to space the springs apart, retaining blocks arranged in the end portions of the grooves to engage the outermost sprin s of each'series'and retain the parts in said grooves, and set screws in the inner and outer tire sections .to engage the retaining blocks.

In testimony whereof We hereunto affix our signatures in the presence of two witnesses.

' GUY H. CRAWFORD. r GEORGE H. SAUER.

' Witnesses I MAB'EL E S'rRAw, LILLIAN S. ELLSWORTH.

section having an annular 

